Floribunda rose plant named `WEKplapic`

ABSTRACT

A new variety of Floribunda rose suitable for garden decoration, having semi-double flowers of ivory edged red coloration.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Floribunda Rose.The varietal denomination of the new variety is `WEKplapic`. It has asits seed parent the variety known as Playboy and as its pollen parentthe variety known as `MACpic` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,351).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Among the features which distinguish the new variety from otherpresently available and known commercial rose cultivars are thefollowing combination of characteristics: its undulated semi-doubleflowers with strongly bordered coloration, its dark red new growth, itsdark coloration of the stamens, its inability to set hips and its veryshort time between bloom cycles. The plant is a bushy upright growingplant, suitable for outdoor garden decoration.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by budding as performed in KernCounty and Upland, Calif., shows that the foregoing and otherdistinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established andtransmitted through succeeding propagations. `WEKplapic` may beasexually propagated by cuttings, budding or grafting.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, `Playboy`, bythe following combination of characteristics: whereas `WEKplapic` bearsivory yellow flowers with a red border, `Playboy` bears flowers ofyellow blushed with orange. The seed parent will readily set hips in theUpland, Calif. growing conditions, whereas the new seedling does not sethips. `Playboy` bears flowers with bright yellow stamens, whereas`WEKplapic` bears flowers with stamens of significantly darkercoloration.

The new variety may be distingushed from its pollen parent, `MACpic`, bythe following combination of characteristics: whereas `WEKplapic` bearsivory yellow flowers with a red border, `Macpic` bears flowers ofscarlet reversed and marked with white. The pollen parent bears flowerswith 15 to 18 petals, whereas the new seedling bears flowers ofsignificantly lesser petalage (about 9 to about 12).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

The accompanying photograph illustrates specimens of the new variety andshows the flowering thereof from bud to full bloom depicted in color asnearly correct as it is possible to make in a color illustration of thecharacter. Throughout this specification, color values are based uponthe Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London, England,except where common terms of color definition are employed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following description is of rose plants of the new cultivar grownoutdoors in Upland, Calif. in the month of October. Phenotypicexpression may vary with environmental, cultural and climaticconditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

FLOWER

The new variety sometimes bears its flowers singly, usually in clustersof four to five or more per stem. Flowers are borne in irregular roundedclusters on normal strong short to medium length stems (about 16 toabout 22 cms.). Outdoors, the plant blooms very abundantly and nearlycontinuously during the growing season. The flowers have a slight teafragrance.

BUD

The peduncle is about 3.5 to about 5.5 cms. in length, of average toheavy caliper, and usually erect. It is moderately smooth, with manystipitate glands and few hairs. Peduncle color is between 144A and 137C,sometimes moderately blushed on the side exposed to the sun with between183B and 178A.

Before the calyx breaks, the bud is about 1.2 to about 1.6 cms. indiameter at the widest point, about 1.7 to about 2.5 cms. in length, andvery pointed to ovoid in shape with a conspicuous hypanthium. Thesurface of the bud bears few stipitate glands and hairs, usually withslender entire foliaceous parts extending beyond the tip of the budabout 1/4 or more of its length. Bud color is between 144A and 137C,sometimes moderately blushed on the side exposed to the sun with between183B and 178A.

The inner surface of the sepals is covered with fine wooly tomentum;sepal margins are lined with many stipitate glands and hairs, sometimesbearing one to two or more moderately small slender foliaceous parts.

As the petals open (after the calyx breaks), the bud is about 1.7 toabout 2.2 cms. in diameter at the widest point, about 2.4 to about 2.8cms. in length, and very pointed to ovoid in form. The color of theunder surfaces of the newly opened petals is between 13B and 15C,usually blushed on areas exposed to the sun with as dark as between 53Band 46A. At the point where the petal attaches, there is a moderatelysmall zone of near 7B. The color of the interior portion of the uppersurfaces of the newly opened petals is between 13B and 15C suffusing toa broad edging of between 45A and 46A. At the point where the petalattaches, there is a moderately small zone of near 7A.

BLOOM

When fully open, the bloom ranges from about 7 to about 9 cms. indiameter. Petalage is semi-double with about 9 to 12 petals and about 1to 3 petaloids arranged irregularly. When partially open, the bloom formis moderately high centered and the petals are loosely spiraled withpetal edges slightly reflexed outward. When fully open, the bloom formis more flat to cupped and the petals are somewhat cupped to moderatelyundulated with petal edges somewhat reflexed outward.

PETALS

The substance of the petals is moderately heavy and of medium to thickthickness, with upper surfaces very satiny to somewhat velvety and undersurfaces moderately shiny to satiny. The petals are nearly round tobroadly obovate in shape with apices usually rounded to sometimesmucronate.

NEWLY OPENED FLOWER

The color of the interior portion of the under surface of the petals isbetween 13C and 15D suffusing slowly to a moderately sized edging ofbetween 53B and 46B. At the point where the petal attaches, there is amoderately small zone of near 7C. The color of the interior portion ofthe upper surface of the petals is between 13C and 15D suffusing to abroad edging of between 53B and 46A. At the point where the petalattaches, there is a moderatlely small zone of near 7A.

The general tonality of the newly opened flower is between 13C and 15Dbroadly edged with between 53B and 46A.

THREE DAY OLD FLOWER

The color of the interior portion of the under surface of the petals isbetween 19D and 11D suffusing very slowly to a moderately thin edging ofbetween 53B and 53C. At the point where the petal attaches, there is avery small zone of near 8C. The color of the interior portion of theupper surface of the petals is between 155B and 49D suffusing graduallyto a very broad edging of as deep as between 53B and 53C. At the pointwhere the petal attaches, there is a moderately small zone of near 8B.

The general tonality of the three day old flower is between 155B and 49Dvery broadly edged with as deep as between 53B and 53C.

On the spent bloom, the petals eventually drop off cleanly after fadingto between 155B and lighter than 49D edged with between 53C and 53D.

In October in Upland, Calif., blooms on the bush growing outdoorsgenerally last about four to five or more days. Cut roses from plantsgrown outdoors and kept at normal indoor living temperatures generallylast about four to five or more days.

MALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Stamens are average to many in number (approximately 75) and arearranged regularly about the pistil. The filaments are of moderatelylong length, most with anthers. Filaments are between 14A and 15A incolor. The anthers are medium sized and all open approximately at thesame time. Anther color is between 17A and 163A when immature andbetween 165A and 166A at maturity. Pollen is somewhat sparse near 16C incolor.

FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Pistils vary in number (approximately 45). The styles are moderatelyshort to somewhat uneven, somewhat thin to average in caliper, and verybunched. Stigma and style color is near 4B. Ovaries are usually allenclosed in the calyx.

Hips will not set on this variety under Upland, Calif. growingconditions.

FOLIAGE

The compound leaves are usually comprised of three to five leaflets andare borne abundantly. The leaves are about 9 to about 12 cms. in lengthand about 7 to about 10 cms. in width at the widest point, moderatelyheavy in texture, and very glossy in finish. The leaflets are about 4.5to about 8 cms. in length and about 3 to about 5 cms. in width at thewidest point, shaped oval to somewhat ovate with acute apices and bases.Their margins are usually simply serrate.

The upper surface of the mature leaf is between 137A and 139A. The undersurface of the mature leaf is between 147B and 147C. The upper surfaceof the young leaf is between 144A and 137C usually heavily suffused withbetween 187A and 183A. The under surface of the young leaf is between144B and 138B usually moderately suffused with near 183B.

The rachis average in caliper and somewhat smooth. The upper side ismoderately grooved with some stipitate glands on the edges of thegrooves. The upper side is sometimes suffused with near 183B. The underside of the rachis is moderately smooth with a few stipitate glands,sometimes with about one or two very small prickles.

The stipules are about 0.7 to about 1.2 cms. in length and moderatelynarrow width medium long straight points that usually turn out in anangle of more than 45 degrees.

The plant displays an above average degree of resistance to powderymildew and blackspot as compared to other commercial varieties grownunder comparable conditions in Upland, Calif.

GROWTH

The plant has a bushy upright medium height growth habit (about 90 toabout 140 cms. in height and about 105 to about 130 cms. spread at thewidest point) with very full branching. It displays very vigorous growthand the canes are of somewhat light to medium caliper for the class.

The color of the major stems is between 146C and 144B. They bear veryfew large prickles which are about 0.8 to about 1.3 cms. in length. Thelarge prickles are almost straight, angled slightly downward with amedium length moderately narrow base; prickle color is near 164A. Themajor stem bears very few small prickles of similar shape andcoloration.

The color of the branches is between 146B and 144A often moderatelysuffused with between 178A and 183D. They bear few large prickles, whichare of similar size and shape to the large prickles on the major stems;prickle color is between 176D and 181C. The branches bear very few smallprickles of similar shape and coloration.

The color of the new shoots is near 144A usually heavily suffused withbetween 183A and 187B. They bear few large prickles, which are ofsimilar size and shape to the large prickles on the major stems; pricklecolor is between 178A and 183B. The shoots bear few small prickles ofsimilar shape and coloration.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Floribunda rose plant of the varietysubstantially as described and illustrated herein.